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Topic: Stung by Wasps (Read 20041 times)

I was out in the back of our place, moving something around in one of the silos when I suddenly got attacked by three wasps. Right when it happened I felt the awful, burning sting and the alarmingly intense pain immediately. I looked to see the three nasty little buggers fly off.

They quietly and efficiently attacked my upper right arm, on the outside and inside of my bicep. I counted three sting marks. I dropped what I was doing and ran towards the house.

I felt that ice would be soothing, so I got some ice cubes from the freezer and put them on the three red sting marks around my upper arm. I am so glad that I am not hyper allergic to their sting. I have read that a person can go into anaphyalactic shock and die withinan hour.

Main Entry: anaphylactic shockFunction: noun An often severe and sometimes fatal systemic reaction in a susceptible individual upon exposure to a specific antigen (as wasp venom or penicillin) after previous sensitization that is characterized especially by respiratory symptoms, fainting, itching, and urticaria.

Wasp stings are alkali but the venom has so many active ingredients that it is very unlikely that it is the alkali alone that is the single active ingredient that causes the pain.

I had a strange reaction. I could only see three red pin pricks, at first, but the pain was intense, compared to what a person could see. My husband immediately put a baking soda paste on the stings andI think it might have helped a bit.

The area under the stings, inside my upper arm, above my elbow got red and felt hot. A day later that red area felt itchy, but it felt painful to scratch it, so I rubbed it with a washcloth.

Today, four days later, I have a strange little rash where the area was red. It seems to be receeding, but even rubbing it feels slightly painful. The sites where I was stung each have a tiny lump under them.

As I am typing this I notice a wasp is somehow in my house, and is flying right by the window next to me. It flew into the fan and that seemed to have stopped it.

Another wasp has come to it's aid, how they got into the house is a mystery to me. I grabbed the flyswatter and tried to kill the second one, as the first one is dead in the fan.

I hit the wasp with the fly swatter and it didn't die. Fly swatters just don't pack enough punch. I ran out of the room. I saw it on the wall and hit it again,and this time it fell to the carpet it was still wiggling.I hit it three times with the fly swatter and it is now dead.

I do not see any more wasps but they must be getting in from the back of the house, since we did a lot of remodeling there in the past week and have kept some of the doors open to the outside.

Here are a few facts about the wasp:

Another feature unique to the wasp and hornet is that the venom contains a pheromone which alarms all other wasps in the area and invites them to join the attack on the victim. Whilst one can see the evolutionary and defensive benefits of such an alarm system, it is particularly worrying for the victim. Whilst bees therefore do fly in swarms and have the reputation for attacking in swarms, do not let the comparitively solitary journey of the wasp deceive since not only can one wasp sting more than once, but it calls all wasps nearby to come and help.

I think I will be alright, and looking at the odd raised rash, I think I might put some calamine lotion on it.

Wasps are very sly. At least bees make a buzzing sound when them come after you. Mosquitos can be felt before they bite you. But waspsare the sharks of the insect world, they come straight for you silently and sting you right when they hit the skin.

I have to check around the house now and see if I can locate anymore.The two wasps are now dead. One died in the fan, ( thank goodness)and the other one I swatted to death.

Tonight I will have to have my husband spray the silos with wasp killeragain, since I have become a bit paranoid lately about getting stungagain.

Wasps - I can not live in harmony with them.

« Last Edit: Friday June 27, 2008, 03:12:52 AM by Blue Bird »

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When we understand that there is no up without a down,no over without an under, no good without a bad, no light without dark, no hot without cold, no yes without a no, we understand wholeness, and we cease to be disturbed, distressed, or perplexed by the illusion of anything less than wholeness.

I was stung once a few years ago. I do try to do the "ignore it and it will go away", but most of the time, they don't.

Now I use my secret weapon. A vacuum cleaner.

Use the long attachment and just suck the wasp away. If you have a powerful machine, the wasp won't stand a chance.

Leave the vacuum running a minute or so, just to make sure.

Bumble bees are a different kettle of bees altogether. I love bumble bees.

One of those landed on me once. It had a good crawl up my arm and then decided to fly away.

Wonderful creatures. A bit of a mystery, though. How do the manage to fly?

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The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trapEagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet enginesThe Doppler Effect - Why bad ideas seem good when they are coming towards you at high speed. Don't rush things!!!

bunnie

Hi blue bird, How are you now? A wasp sting is really quite viscious. I was once stung by a wasp on the instep of my right foot and it was really painful.Wasps can nest in your house blue-bird. I lived in a old lakeland farm house built in 1500's for many years. When we first moved in we were having a search of the house, and inside the loft was the most gi-normous wasps nest we had ever seen! It really was huge! My then husband called this society connected to the British natural History museum, and they came up north to photograph it. If they could have removed it in one piece they would have taken it away, but it was so big it wouldn't have got through the trap door, and they really didn't want to break it up. Anyway they took photos of it, and left it where it was, and that was that.They thought it was amazing however. I often wonder if it is still there (as I left that house in the 70's) There were no wasps in it I might add! They really are horrid things, unlike bumble bees, which I am rather fond of, as my avatar shows!I do hope the area isn't bothering you too much Blue-bird. I think the little "bump" will be an inflammatory reaction to the puncture wounds made by the wasps. Do watch it though. Here's my avatar close up, it's one of a set of postcards I am fortunate to own. Very appropiate I think!It's by Marie Flatscher.

A wasp sting is indeed painful. I remember landing right in a wasps' nest when I was a little girl, when I hopped over a low fence to hide in a game of hide and seek. It must have looked like a cartoon with me running away from the swarm... I think 3 or 4 of them stung me that time.

I hope the stings subside soon, Blue. I don't know if there is anything beyond what you've tried to speed the healing process!

Hi blue bird, How are you now? A wasp sting is really quite viscious. I was once stung by a wasp on the instep of my right foot and it was really painful.

Oh, Bunnie, the instep of the foot is such a tender area. I would guess that when you got stung there, it affected the way you walked for a while. How did you run to get help when you got stung? (Very carefully, right?) You must have had your foot on ice for some time.

Thanks for asking how I'm doing. It's in a weird spot, they stung meon the tender side, the inside of my upper arm. I think it's referred to as a "defense wound ". That is, if you are attacked there,(by a wasp or by an attacker,) it shows that you lifted your arms in self defense, which I must have done.

This is day five of the aftermath of being stung and the bright red rash area has faded to a pale pink. The raised bumps are receeding, and the area still feels sensitive to the touch.

I just read an article about a man in Ireland who was stung by a bee in his own home a few weeks ago and died within 25 minutes,even though his wife called for an ambulance. He was already dead when the ambulance arrived.His two sons, who are in their 20's, were still doing CPR and mouth to mouth when the ambulance crew arrived, and they could not resuscitate him. I think that would be psychologically damaging for his poor sons to live with.

Bamawing> I can understand how you were frightened of buzzing, stinging insects. They can, theoretically, kill you. It makes sense, hon.

Totalfolly> Wasps make me wary, too. More than wary, now, they make me paranoid.

Itchychick> Where did the wasps sting you during that incident you endured as a little girl? Good thing you weren't deathly allergic to their venom. Thank you for your concern, the stings do seem to be subsiding, but look how long it's taken, 5 whole days. *Whew*

Matt> With wasps, they don't care if you stand still and ignore them.With bees, yes, I agree, but that strategy doesn't work with wasps.Wasps are more aggressive than bees, because bees will die if they sting you, whereas wasps won't. I hadn't thought of the vacuum cleaner because if I miss, they will attack right away, and they're fast. Have you ever been stung?

I remember being stung when I was in fifth grade at school in the playground. I was at the Catholic school, and we had to wear dark green plaid(officially called "black watch" plaid) skirted uniforms with white shirts. A bee flew up my skirt, then up my white shirt and stung me in the armpit! The nuns realized what had happened and they wisked me into the bathroom, took off my uniform, and my shirt and put cold water on itand called my mother. It was horrid, just awful to be stung in the armpit. It seems I get stung about the arms, doesn't it?

I would love to read more stories of those who endured stingsby any stinging insect.

Again, I thank all of you for your concern. It means a lot to me.You guys are wonderful.

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When we understand that there is no up without a down,no over without an under, no good without a bad, no light without dark, no hot without cold, no yes without a no, we understand wholeness, and we cease to be disturbed, distressed, or perplexed by the illusion of anything less than wholeness.

Yikes, it seems you've had more than your share of wasp stings now, Blue!

I have to say that I don't really remember where I was stung... I do remember the one right between my eyebrows, but the others have faded from memory. I think I went a little hysterical.

My little one (well, my older little one) stepped in a wasps nest that was buried under the grass at my parent's house! I had never heard of that before, but apparently that is relatively common. Poor thing was stung on the legs, and he has been terrified of the larger flying insects ever since...

I have been stung a couple of times whenI was a lot younger, and have been terrified of them ever since.

Yes, terrified, although I normally put on a brave face and get the vacuum out.

I am glad you are feeling better.

A rather tired Uncle Matt.

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The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trapEagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet enginesThe Doppler Effect - Why bad ideas seem good when they are coming towards you at high speed. Don't rush things!!!

Itchychick> Aw, that sounds awful for a small child to go through.That son of yours is a survivor. Your parents must have felt bad that it happened when he was at their place. Did they get rid of the nest after that, then?

One time, this girl we knew was standing around watching a game of horse-shoes. A horse shoe landed by her and it hit hard right into a wasps nest. The wasps flew up her little dress and stung her all over her little body. We all thought she was going to die, it was that horrifying. They rushed her to the hospiatl. She didn't die, and she recovered just fine after a few weeks. Poor little thing.

My first hornet bite/sting : One time, when I was about four,we were up at the cabin, that my parents used to rent out in the middle of nowhere. I was carrying my baby brother on my back, giving him a "horsey-back" ride. He was a bit sickly as a baby, given to ear infections and crying spells. We all pampered him and sometimes he would stop crying and smile, like when I would run around with him on my back. Well, on the horsey-back ride for my baby brother, a huge hornet landed right on my eye. I could see it's alien looking insect head staring right at me. I didn't have a free hand to swat it away, since my arms were behind my back holding my dear baby brother at the time and I knew if I went to swat it away, he would fall and probably get hurt. So, I watched as the the darn hornet stung me right under my eye. OUCH! I screamed, of course, and that alerted my parents who ran over and took my baby brother Mark off my back. They saw the swelling under my eye and took me into the cabin and put ice on it. I remember the pain and how everyone said I should have just dropped the baby on the ground. Only my mother told me I was brave and did the right thing, because the baby would have got hurt if I had dropped it.I had a big bump under my right eye for days.

Matt>

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I am glad you are feeling better.

A rather tired Uncle Matt.

Thank you, Matt. Why are you so tired, hon? Need more sleep, working too hard? Maybe you can catch up on your sleep this weekend, right?

I hope so.

Thanks, everyone for being so thoughtful.

Are there any other stinging incidents people want to share?

The wasp sting rash still looks weird. Hope it goes away soon.

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When we understand that there is no up without a down,no over without an under, no good without a bad, no light without dark, no hot without cold, no yes without a no, we understand wholeness, and we cease to be disturbed, distressed, or perplexed by the illusion of anything less than wholeness.

bunnie

Oh, Bunnie, the instep of the foot is such a tender area. I would guess that when you got stung there, it affected the way you walked for a while. How did you run to get help when you got stung? (Very carefully, right?) You must have had your foot on ice for some time.

Hi Blue Bird, there was nobody in the house at the time and we lived 1/2 a mile from the village and at the foot of the surrounding mountains. (Far Easedale, at the very foot of Helm Crag more commonly known as The Lion and the Lamb, for any of our UK friends who know the Lake District,) so it was a bit pointless shouting for help! I simply put some white surgical spirit on it, and it eased it immediately, although it did swell up, and as you say loads of ice!Bunnie

Bunnie - How did you happen to have white surgical spirit on you?I guess you must have hobbled to the house, and got the stuff when you got in there, then? Right?

Or maybe you were carrying a first aid kit or something.

When I get stung by a bee, it hardly bothers me. It is more annoying and only slightly painful. But those darn hornets and wasps are wicked.

My son has become extremely allergic to bee/wasp/hornet venom.One time he was working doing landscaping and he got stung. He said the guy he was working with noticed he had fallen down and his neckwas swollen up. They took him to the ER for treatment.

He carries an epi-pen. I just remembered that I have to get one just for him in case he needs it. I just talked to him and he said you need a prescription to get one. Hmmm.....I think I'll call the pharmacy and see what they have to say.

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One time, an elderly relative was visiting us. It was just after my 93 year old beloved Grandpap Sapien had died. His sister, Great AuntElsie, came to our home out here in the country with her son, my moms cousin and his wife. Anyway, we got to talking and I remember we walked down to the cemetary and I told her that there were some bees all over the place, so we better walk a different way.

Aunt Elsie told me she had never been stung by a bee, or a wasp or a hornet in her whole life, and she was 88 at the time. We were all sort of surprised. Maybe she was just lucky. Maybe she just didn't get out in the country too often, I don't know. I thought that was amazing.

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When we understand that there is no up without a down,no over without an under, no good without a bad, no light without dark, no hot without cold, no yes without a no, we understand wholeness, and we cease to be disturbed, distressed, or perplexed by the illusion of anything less than wholeness.

bunnie

Hi Blue bird. I was in the house actually. The kitchen window was wide open and so was the back door. I remember it clearly! I was in the food store next to the kitchen and I was wearing flat sandals, shorts etc. as it was early summer. I felt this awful sting and shook my sandal off and there was this wasp on the insole, thats how I knew it was definately a wasp. I hopped into the kitchen! it was just right next to the store room and got the surgical spirit from the meds cabinet. I have always kept a meds cabinet in the kitchen and always surgical spirit. (I still do) It is very cheaply sold in a pharmacy over the counter, and is a great initial antiseptic for bites. (not open wounds! it would burn like the devil!) It also cleans glass ornaments and table-tops until they sparkle!BunniePS I did a post was it on the non sequiteur thread? about a very old custom here in the UK which concerns "telling the bees". It is still carried out in some rural parts of the country , and indeed where I live.

I have two stories about wasps, once I felt something on the back of my neck, put my hand around to touch it, pick it up between the finger and thumb and behold a wasp buzzing at me like mad and I threw it to the ground. The second time I got stung by a Wasp in the chest whist watching England playing cricket at lords. I lifted up my shirt and squeezes the sting like you do with a spot and the stuff came out. It didn't hurt too badly afterwards but why it stung me I have no idea, there were a few wasp flying around. Who knows. So squeezes it out, it helps.

Wow, Loppy, I am sorry to read that you got stung under the shirt, in the chest area! OUCH! I am curious, where on the chest was it, like by your nipples? I remember getting stung under the shirt, too, but it was in my arm pit area, and armpits are such sensitive things.

I never thought to "squeeze it out", as you did. That is a pretty good idea. The last time I got stung, about three weeks ago, the area was so painful, I could barely touch it, let alone squeeze it.

I couldn't even find the place the three wasps bit me on my upper arm, until I looked in a mirror. The looked like three tiny little red puncture wounds from a needle. It wasn't until that night that those puncture wounds started looking like a round mosquito bite type of thing.

The strangest thing about getting "tag teamed" by three wasps in the same area of my inner upper arm was the red hot area under the stings that turned into a slightly raised and painful rash. Bunnie indicated that it was the poison from the Wasps' reacting there.

I'll experiment the next time I get stung, and try to squeeze it out, and see what happens. I never heard of doing that. I had read the if it is a bee of some sort that you have to get the stinger out, yes, but if there is no stinger, then I hadn't read or heard of anyone squeezing the poison out, but it does make sense. That's why I usually put some baking soda paste I make on it. I mix baking soda with water, and puit it on there, and that seems to draw some of it out, at least I am told it does and it seems to.

Thanks for the new suggestion.

« Last Edit: Wednesday July 09, 2008, 05:55:31 PM by Blue Bird »

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When we understand that there is no up without a down,no over without an under, no good without a bad, no light without dark, no hot without cold, no yes without a no, we understand wholeness, and we cease to be disturbed, distressed, or perplexed by the illusion of anything less than wholeness.

I got stung by a wasp again on Sunday. Once again, the same scenario, I was going into the silo and ZAP I got stung on the hand.I have to say it feels like getting pierced and zapped by an electrical outlet. I was checking the silos for an outfit for the scarecrow in our garden.His one piece mechanic suit was great, until he stood out in the weather for a year and lost his arms. *lol*

I decided to change that and went about looking for old clothing in the place where it is, out in the silos. The funny thing is, the wasps never bothered me on my first attempt, when I went in the first time and looked around, I was fine. I found something I thought might work on the scarecrow and then realized I had left my drink in one of the silos.

The second time I went in I raised my hand to stretch and ZAP, I got stung, it hurt in a strange way. The hot burning sensation that started to feel like an electical current that proceeded to go up into my knuckles and up into my wrist and forearm.

As I ran to the house, I noticed an alarming number of wasps, perhaps a cloud of 100 were swarming at the silo door. How did I not notice that? They weren't doing that the first time I went in.

I ran it under cold water because it felt so good to do that. I could see the tiny red pinprick of the wasp. I could see my hand start to swell, not too much, but still it looked way out of proportion to my other hand. I put baking soda on it and went back about my business.

The skin on my hand has been tight and swollen for two days. Today I see a decrease in the swelling and it is almost back to normal.

My husband went out at night and sprayed the hornets nest with something to get rid of it. The nest was on the door to the silo.

The nest is now down and off the door, inactivated by wasp killer.

I spend a lot of time out doors, out here in the country, outside,where the wild things creep, crawl, fly and nest.

Good thing I am not overly responsive to wasp stings, or my friends, I certainly would have died by now, from getting stung by wasps.

Your friend,An unsuspecting target for wasps.

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When we understand that there is no up without a down,no over without an under, no good without a bad, no light without dark, no hot without cold, no yes without a no, we understand wholeness, and we cease to be disturbed, distressed, or perplexed by the illusion of anything less than wholeness.